CHAPTER 56: CHAPTER 56

With her eyes narrowed, as she wondered. Where the fuck is this coming from?

Rhea snapped, "Even if I’m in a relationship or just screwing around, it’s none of your concern."

With him leaning against the wall, arms crossed and a mocking smirk tugging at his lips, Zack drawled, "It is. You were mine before whoever came running into your life. But are you that sex staved that you’d be fucking a lecturer? What was his name again? Zeenare." He paused, eyes watching her carefully, "And how many men have you slept with? And with one of them got you that car?"

How? When? What does he mean by that? Me fucking a lecturer?

"And how the hell is that your business? Move aside, I want to go inside my house." Rhea brushed past him.

But Zack blocked her path. "It’s always my business," he sneered, leaning closer. "The other day, you two fucked in that room, didn’t you?"

That room? Fucked? Ah! She gasped inwardly, realising he was referring to that day. This creep has been watching me.

"Because he reeked of you, when he past me. And you, flushed and all shaken up when you stepped out."

She searched his face for a fluke but there was nothing. He was being serious and he’s confident about it.

"Is he that good? Good enough to make you forget you’re still in school? Better than I made you feel? I guess his own will be bigger and thicker than mine, since he’s older." His eyes roamed her, peeling away her clothes in his mind one by one.

"But I know I’ve got better skills. I know how you screamed with me on top of you." Tilting her chin, he whispered, "Want to test it again? Since you have become so plump and beautiful, I could give you that privilege."

"What rubbish are you spouting? Where did you get that stupid ideology from?" Rhea smacked his hands off her face, her brow furrowed, her heart at the back of her chest.

This idiot will do anything to get his way if I don’t cut him off now.

"Don’t play coy with me, Rhea. I see the way the both of you look at eachother in class, eating eachother up with your eyes. It’s like you both forget that there are others in the class."

You just returned and you’re already trying to destroy my life again.

"Rhea, one thing you need to know, is that you shouldn’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Don’t fool yourself in thinking you are anything special. You’re not. He’s just having fun with you and once he has had his fill, he’d just toss you aside. Why? Because you bore people easily."

A sharp, searing pain struck her chest, her heart thumping hard.

"Isn’t that why our relationship turned bad, because of how dull and too uptight you are? Isn’t that why I grew tired of you?"

Why do his words still hurt? I thought I’d moved on from this.

No. I will not satisfy him with the reaction he’s desperately craving for right now.

But that wasn’t what happened, with blazing eyes, her lips moved even though her mind didn’t want to.

"For every day, every month, every year. I did my best. I tried, and tried and I tried again. Yet it was still not enough. I desperately seek your attention. I desperately tried to prove myself. But I couldn’t, I got tired, I gave up, I cried. I even tried again. And you who didn’t even try, you who never tried to understand me, you who didn’t care about my feelings. You don’t have the right to say those words to me." Rhea blurred, her eyes not leaving his disgusting face. And the small smirk tugging his lips.

Is this what you wanted, Zack? My breakdown? Then choke on it. I hope it feeds you until you’re sick.

"I thought I made myself clear last time, to never appear in front of me again. I don’t know what it is you think will happen when you cook up these stories. But news flash I don’t care. Prof Zeenare is a hot guy that all girls in the campus will die for, and if I get to be robbed with him, it proves I’m to his league. And you? You can never be up to his standard. So move aside. You disgusting piece of shit!" Rhea cursed out, storming toward the door when he pulled her roughly by her hair.

Rhea winced, grabbing her scalp, staggering back, her face contorted with a hurtful frown.

"I’m not finished," Zack growled. "How dare you walk away? Just because you shake your ass for men doesn’t mean you can disrespect me. Or think you’re something now."

"You need to know your place. And only then would you see that I’m the only one for you. Me."

What was it again did I saw in him? That made me gravel on his feet? I’m the fool for seeing something in him in the first place.

Rhea avoided his touch, her fist clenched tight, her blood boiling, veins popping out in her eyes.

I don’t care anymore. I’m going to punch this bloody purse-leeching harlot scallywag.

"Get the fuck away from me!" She roared. A violent force burst out of her, knocking him off her, slamming him against the wall, knocking him unconsciousness.

She rushed into her apartment, a cold dread twisting her guts, tiny trembles in her hands, face twisted in a frown, as her pounded without a rhythm. Subtle gaps escaping her lips.

Tia rushed to the heading for the sound when Rhea stepped in. "Hey! What happened outside? I heard a loud sound." Tia asked.

But Rhea didn’t reply.

She dropped the takeouts on the dining table with shaky hands, and headed straight to her room, slamming the door behind her, turning the key.

Then directly to the mirror in her bathroom.

Rhea’s fingers hurriedly roam her neck, frantically searching for something.

"Where is it?" She whispered.

Earlier outside she felt something with her open—A strange sensation ripped through her, like another voice tearing free from within.

The hair on her skin stood on end, her voice became sharper, but strong. And her temperature plummeted near freezing.

She fumbled with her shirt buttons, checking her skin, but there was nothing.

She proceeded to the short. And there it was.

The rune on her lower abdomen, glowing.

Her eyes widened in terror. Its shape had spread, dark vein-like marks spidering out across her skin.

"What is this?" She knitted her brows in a frown.

Why is it spreading?

Her eyes moved to her face in the mirror and her jaw dropped.

Why? What? How?

Her eyes had changed.

To the shape of a siren, with two black lines at each end of the eyes, like perfectly drawn eyeliner.

I look different! But why?

She cupped her face I’m the mirror, then stretched her cheeks.

It’s like I had plastic surgery to make my eyes sharper.

Then she tried speaking and her voice was different. It sounded surreal and ethereal.

What is causing these changes? Why now? Why suddenly?

She stood facing are reflection, motionless.

Her mind trailed to Zeenare.

The essence! I only got this tattoo after that essence incident —she’s referring to the rune.

Then that weird sex starvation, which lasted for a whole week, happened. Now, this, both my voice and feature have changed.

Was it this, that caused that to happen too? I hope he isn’t dead.

Rhea’s mind flashed to Zack, who was lying unconscious when she scurried out of there.

I seriously hope it doesn’t remain like this when I wake up tomorrow, because I don’t have any answer to give anyone.

She walked out of the bathroom, headed for the pounding door that was threatening to be fall by Tia’s continuous banging.

"Rhea! Babe! What happened? Open the fucking door. Or I’ll tear it down." Tia shouted.

And she’d actually do that.

"I’m fine, nothing is happening, I just met Zack on the way here, and it spoiled my appetite and mood."

Rhea stood a few feet away from the door.

"I didn’t want to trouble you, that’s why I came straight to my room. I’m sorry for scaring you like that."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Tia asked.

"No, I just want to sleep."

"Are you sure?" Tia enquired.

"One hundred per cent," Rhea assured

She moved her bed, covering the bedsheets over her head.

"Okay see you tomorrow then." Tia retreated at the sound of a rustling blanket coming from Rhea’s room.

The following morning.....

I’m glad that fucker didn’t die. My life flashed before my eyes, when I heard a knock at the front door this morning. I thought it was the police, I was preparing myself for prison in orange overall.

Rhea sighed as she walked down the corridor, heading to class.

But it was a plumber knocking on the wrong door. Phew, that took five percent out of my life.

She swept a hand across her face, relief washing over her.

And at least, my face is back to nor—

Her thoughts cut short as something collided with her back.

A girl was behind her, staggering with bunch of notebooks in her hands, trying hard for it not to fall. "Sorry! Sorry!" She blurted, as she stopped briefly, before sprinting down the hallway with notes in hand.

"Who is she?" Rhea’s eyes followed the girl’s back.